Vanessa Yvonne Mintz, 53, of Saluda, North Carolina, was shot in the face with a shotgun and found dead at the family-owned Saluda Mountain Lodge on February 19, 2011. Investigators recovered a spent shotgun shell and other firearms at the scene.

The investigation identified Vanessa’s husband, 44-year-old Travis McGraw, as the perpetrator. McGraw was arrested four days after her body was discovered and charged with first-degree murder. Text messages recovered during the inquiry showed McGraw had been romantically involved with a woman named Mary Beth Fisher, who had given him an ultimatum about their relationship. The prosecution presented the shotgun used in the killing and the messages as key evidence at trial.

McGraw was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Vanessa’s daughters, Jessica Freeman and Andrea Little Gray, described their mother as a devoted Christian, a successful real estate agent, and a community leader. Does anyone have memories of Vanessa or information about her work in Saluda’s community?